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Casting For Recovery Seeks Participants For First Iowa Retreat

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." --Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau's thought mentioned only men, but a unique national program allows women who have experienced breast cancer to benefit from a fishing experience.

Casting for Recovery enhances the quality of life of women with breast cancer and survivors of breast cancer through fishing retreats designed to promote and support mental and physical healing.

The first Casting for Recovery Iowa retreat will be held October 11-13 and will take advantage of the fine Northeast Iowa trout streams near Decorah. Women with breast cancer and survivors are invited to apply for the free retreat.

Casting for Recovery retreats use counseling, medical education, and introduction and instruction in fly fishing to provide a healing opportunity for women of any age, or stage of treatment.

The typical schedule for retreats includes instruction in the basics of fly-fishing and casting, and how those are related to the recovery process of breast cancer, with a focus on quality of life skills.

"We hope women in the region who are making the journey with breast cancer will take advantage of this great opportunity to continue their healing while enjoying the calming influence of nature,'' said Sally Werner, executive director of the Genesis Cancer Care Institute, a sponsor of the Iowa retreat. "Casting For Recovery has an excellent record of lowering the concerns that are part of a breast cancer diagnosis.''

In 10 areas, including worry, fatigue, sadness or depression, and appearance, participants in Casting For Recovery events have overwhelmingly reported feeling more aware and accepting of their circumstances, and are better able to cope with their condition following their participation.

"The best thing about fishing may not be the fish at the end of the line. It may be the peace and the beauty of enjoying nature, especially with other people who have a shared cancer experience,'' Werner explained.

To apply for participation in the first Iowa Casting For Recovery retreat, go to www.castingforrecovery.org and search for the Iowa specific site on the left side of the home page. For the Iowa retreat, participation is limited to 14 residents of Iowa. Application deadline is Aug. 2. ###